A Big Thank You!

A big thank you goes out to Governor Rendell of Pennsylvania! On August 27th Gov Rendell passed H.B. 39 which establishes penalties for dog owners who engage in the following procedures on their own dogs: Cropping, trimming or cutting off an ear; Debarking by cutting or injuring the vocal cords; Docking or cutting off the tail of a dog over five days of age; Surgically birthing a dog; and Removing the dewclaws from a dog over five days of age. Most of these procedures were being done by the people who operate these horrific places called puppy mills. Personally I do not believe in any of these practices but if they must be done then they are required to have them done by a licensed veterinarian. One step at a time.

Unfortunately Pennsylvania has earned the reputation of being the puppy mill capital of the east coast, especially in the county of Lancaster. Last October this same Governor signed laws specifically targeting the puppy mills in his state. PA is not the only state with puppy mills but it is one of the few states that is finally taking a stand against this disgusting business.

Puppy mills are one of my passions in life. I am committed to helping to get the word out about them and getting shut them down. If you don't know what a puppy mill is or even if you do visit a few of these web sites to see where these "cute little puppies" are coming from.
http://stoppuppymills.org/ or www.puppymillrescue.com or www.prisonersofgreed.org. On You Tube you can watch an undercover video of a dog auction. These are mill dogs that are bought and sold like livestock.

Now I don't write about the puppy mills and tell people to educate themselves about them to depress them because bottom line is this suffering goes on day in and day out whether you acknowledge it or not. They exist every day until they either die or are given over to rescue to be put back together. Yes it is hard stuff to watch but it just may move you to donate to this cause that is very close to my heart. There is a great quote by Gandhi that says, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by how they treat their animals." So how are we doing as a nation, as a state, as a community? We're getting there, we're getting there....

Happy Trails,
Sherry

Messages in Blue

Over the past few weeks I have been receiving all sorts of messages in different ways about blue butterflies. Both blue butterflies and blue birds have a great significance for me as they are both related to my Dad who passed away 5 years ago this past July. Blue birds were my Dad's favorite birds. Living in upstate New York they were one of the first signs that spring was almost here when they would arrive to reclaim their house from the previous year. Dad had built blue bird houses for all of us kids and for a few other folks that appreciated the birds.

Birds always seem to hold great enjoyment for all of our family. I remember growing up and my Mom having her Peterson's Guide to Birds book always laying out in the kitchen. Especially during the winter months together we watch as the birds would gather at the feeders we had in the back yard. We would check off each bird we could identify and then put the date down that we saw it. I think we gave up writing the dates for the Cardinals and Blue Jays as they were so plentiful. We actually marked off a lot of birds spotted over the years.

I love the birds and all that they represent, but now the blue bird holds even more of a meaning to me. That last spring that my Dad was so sick from the cancer that riddled his body he still made a point to go sit out on the back porch so he could watch the blue birds going back and forth building the nest in the special bird houses he had made just for them. It was a stuggle for him to move about and get settled but this was his love. He waited patiently over the next few weeks until you could hear the babies squawking and calling out for food. Eventually they would pop their little furry blue heads out of the small wooden hole in the bird house and cry for more worms which Mom and Dad would come flying back to the house with. After the last baby was pushed out and on it's way he would always be a little sad becasue it would be a whole other year before they came back to nest again. The blue birds hung around that year a little longer and I swear they did it for my Dad. With his passing in July my Mom had his beloved blue birds put on his head stone in color. I don't think there is a more fitting way to remember my Dad than with his blue birds.

This past month the messages that my Dad is still around abounds. I have received several messages from a friend of mine and also through people talking about blue birds, or receiving messages via emails that might have a blue bird picture with it, or just opening up a magazine and that is the first thing that pops out is the blue birds.

Blue bitterflies also hold a similar meaning for me but that is a story for the next writing. My girls are hauling me off to bed and tonight they want me to read hem a story. So it is off I go....

Happy Trails,
Sherry

What an incredible day! The clouds are gone and the sun is shinning brightly. The air is cool and dry with a slight breeze. It is as if you can breathe again. The summers here in Maryland can be long, hot and humid. We have been fortunate this year however, there have been no days over 100 degrees. For that I am grateful and so are the girls! As you can imagine summer is not their favorite time of year. The past week had been that muggy wet air that makes you feel like a sponge when you stepped outside. Today is just stunning!

I know the animals are enjoying the weather too. When the girls and I did our morning walk the birds were singing louder than usual and the squirrels were running with a little more energy than normal. While out on our walk I got to thinking about how we measure the time in our lives. In celebrating my birthday today I reflected back on all that I had been through the past year and years of my life. It has been an interesting journey to say the least. Through all of this my girls have been by my side. We have all been through so much together over the years. Some years have been great and others not so much, but through it all they have gone along for the ride.

Birthdays are a time of celebrating us for who we are and marking that passage of time. Our pets are no different. I know many of us have birthday parties or celebrations for our beloved pets. We celebrate them for who they are and what they bring to our lives. Their time with us is always so short. There is a great quote by Irving Townsend that says “We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan.” How true! I can't imagine my life with out my pets or without an animal in it.

So celebrate them today and everyday as we all are just visitors here on Mother Earth for a brief moment in time. I have my birthday cake and the girls will have theirs on this day too as we all just enjoy the sweetness of life and all the cakes and cookies it has to offer!

Happy Trails,
Sherry

A Purposeful Life

What is a life without purpose? The word purpose is defined in the dictionary as the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc. We all seek our purpose here on Mother Earth. We all exist for a reason. Each and everything ever created has a purpose. Whether it is a plant, insect, animal, crystal, rock, air, water or even humans, were all created with purpose. It is by lifting those veils away that we are able to see our true reason for being here. When we find our passion we find our purpose.

Some are destined to do what others consider "great things" with their lives for the betterment of all. Others may be here to work in a more limited yet just as important reason. Some find their life's work early on and some of us find it much later in life. I remember years ago (1984 to be exact) when a woman named Clara Peller did the Wendy's commercial and was made famous by saying "Where's the beef"? At the age of 82 Clara became a cult figure by starring in the commercials. Not that this was Clara's passion in life but it is an example as to never giving up on life and what it may have to offer you. Clara's appearance in the commercial boosted Wendy's sales 35% in less than a year. Now that is having an affect on people.

As I said there are others who are here who affect change on a small yet important scale. Now remember I said it can be plant, mineral or animal and being who I am I'm talking about the animal aspect. Animals have purpose to, all animals, cats, dogs, horses, iguana's, elephants, etc. It comes in all different ways like people. There are the animals who bring us light and laughter, there are ones who find purpose in doing what they were bred like the herding dogs or hunting dogs. The ones I want to talk about are the healer animals. Again they can literally be any animal on the planet. These are very special beings who help us as humans heal. They help us see the true healing in unconditional love.

What is your animal's purpose? It can be in your life or in others. I have had the privilege of meeting and actually living with one of these healer animals. They are different on all levels. Their light shines bright as they know their true purpose for being here. Yes I do believe they know their purpose and their passion. How many times have you heard a caretaker of one of these healer animals say, "They just love doing their therapy work, they light up every time we visit the seniors at the senior center"! It is in their purpose that they heal others.

Look at all that animals with purpose do for us, they are all around us if we just look. If your animal doesn't have a purpose then help them find it. I have had many an animal tell me they have a purpose but they are having a hard time getting their caretaker to recognize it. A lot of times when we come to the realization of what it is and the caretaker understands what it is things shift within the household. It can be as simple as you are to greet people in a friendly manner when they come into our home. Think of it, almost every time you meet someone new, what is the first thing they ask? "So what do you do"? The same with animals, they all have a purpose in our lives and in the world. We are more at peace when we know our purpose.

Sometimes it is the animals around us that help us find our passion and in finding the passion we find the peace. I am grateful for all the beings on the planet and for all they bring to life. They helped me find not only my passion but my purpose and myself.

Happy Trails,
Sherry

What is in your food bowl?

Once again I have to thank my furry children for showing me the way! When I first had my two girls, Addie and Maggie, I started them off on what I thought was really good food, Science Diet. The vet had recommended it and I would say for the first 7 or 8 years of their life they were on nothing but that. They did fine on the food for the longest time.

I then began working at a natural pet food store and began to learn about animal nutrition. I looked at what should and should not be in their food. I found the stuff in Science Diet really wasn't giving them the nutrition they needed so I switched to a higher quality dry food. I did one of the Grain free kibbles that is out there. They did really good on the food and as I continued to learn more and more I continued to upgrade their food until I began feeding nothing but a canned and raw diet. I can't tell you what a difference it has made for them. Now would I feed all raw if I could, yes, but it can be a little expensive for those on a limited budget that is why I split between the two. If you were too look at my girls they do not look their age.

Which brings me to what I learned. In doing the research about the nutritional affects on the mind and body of animals I took a look at what I was feeding myself. I began reading labels like I read the labels on the canned and raw foods I was feeding the girls. I was floored to see some of the same really bad ingredients that are often found in the lower brand pet foods were in mine.

Some yummy things like BHT - Butylated Hydroxytoluene - a crystalline phenolic antioxidant, C15H24O, used to preserve fats and oils, especially in foods. Banned from human use in many countries but still permitted in the US. A possible human carcinogen, apparently carcinogenic in animal experiments also. The oxidative characteristics and/or metabolites of BHA and BHT may contribute to carcinogenicity or tumorigenicity. (Cancer)

BHA - Butylated Hydroxysanisole - a white, waxy phenolic antioxidant, C11H16O2, used to preserve fats and oils, especially in foods. It is banned from human use in many countries but still permitted in the US. A possible human carcinogen, apparently carcinogenic in animal experiments also. The oxidative characteristics and/or metabolites of BHA and BHT may contribute to carcinogenicity or tumorigenicity. (Cancer)

And my personal favorite Propylene Glycol. It is a colorless viscous hygroscopic liquid used in antifreeze solutions, in hydraulic fluids, and as a solvent. It is used as humectant in semi-moist kibble to keep it from drying out. Probably tastes good too!

I continue to thank my babies everyday for making me a better person in spite of myself. I hope they never stop teaching and I hope I never stop learning from them and all the animals of the animal kingdom.

Happy Trails,
Sherry

The Energy of Things

Happy Morning to all animal lovers out there! I talk often a lot about energy when I talk about animals. The two just go together. It's kind of like peas and carrots or chocolate and peanut butter, they go together. After all that's all we are and that is all they are. Energy packed in a body.

We are surrounded by all kinds of energies every day. Some good some not so good. We live in a very chaotic world these days and animals on a whole are really feeling it. Just like us some of them are having a harder time with it than other. The more sensitive ones are really having a tough go of it since they are easily affected by the energy they are living in. It seems like every week we are hearing more and more about animals attacking people or villages. They are having a hard time with the energy. Look at the people you are around everyday. Are tempers getting shorter? Is there more road rage than ever? It's all about the energy.

Animals are energy sponges. They do not have the shut off switches like we do. We can walk away or get away from energy that is negative or destructive. Animals can't. They are connected. They are connected to Mother Earth and to us. How well do you think animals would do if humans were not on the planet? I think just fine. Now what if they were not here. Somehow I think we would probably cease to exist. So we are all one when it comes to the energy that is being put out there.

So where is your energy going right now. I think of it in this context. I have a very huge issue with puppy mills. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is one of the largest areas that supports puppy mills. Now I could throw a whole lot of negative energy that way, rant and rave about how bad they really are but what in fact would that really be doing? If I however come from a more positive aspect I can not only help to effect a change but it would all be done in a way as to not add more fuel to an already horrific event.

If there is something negative you want to change let's all try and do it in a positive way, one that is more loving and caring for both us and the animals we share the planet with. Animals have such great hope for us. Let's help be the positive change for them by shifting our energies.

Happy Tails,
Sherry

Good Things from Bad Things

Good things do come from bad things. We may not be able to see it all the time, especially when bad things happen and that's all we focus on, but the good does eventually come. There are several examples of this with the Michael Vick dog fighting ring on the top of everyone's list these days. Passion runs high on the subject of animals and because people know how much I love animals they ask me where I stand on it.

Personally I think Michael Vick should play in the NFL again. What he did was a felony offense. To me it is also a moral offense. However, he paid his debt to society, now he has to pay his debt to the animal kingdom. He did a lot of damage not only to these poor animals but also to himself. I don't feel bad for him because he created this environment and funded it to take place. I do feel bad for the animals that went through what they went through though.

Michael Vick brought the horrible world of dog fighting to the national and international arena. Many folks who deal with animals in rescues, shelters, police or even veterinarians that had treated fight dogs knew about dog fighting rings on a local level but now it is known on a much grander scale. It was common knowledge that drug dealers had been known to have dog fighting rings as another way to get money. I think there was even a magazine at one time that was all about dog fighting. With revealing the truth about the dog fighting also came the revelations about cock fights and even a canary fighting ring.

So now Michael has the opportunity to really do a lot of good here, that is if he really gets it about what he has done. I have yet to see what I consider true emotion from him. Maybe it is true that he came to peace with what he has done and is now ready to help young kids realize this is no way to treat animals. I hope he succeeds in his new mission because if he succeeds then so do the animals. So we will see.

Happy Trails,
Sherry

Clocks are off!

I had the pleasure of throwing my clocks off today! I got up at 5 am to get things together to go teach a class at the Harford County Community College on Canine Massage. They are all looking at me like "Why are we up now"? So cute!

I spoke at one of the local pet stores in Bel Air last night, Baron's K9 Country Store. It was the monthly Wine and Kibble night there. It was great as there were about 25 or 30 folks there to listen about the topic of Animal Communication and animal wellness. It was interesting to watch the dogs as they sat there an listened with their people companions. The dogs were all talking among themselves as the people there listened intently. It was good to see old friends again and to make new ones. A lot folks signed up for the next Animal Communication Workshop I am having. Check out my website www.spiritpaws.com if you too would like to learn how to communicate with your pet.

Gotta go get the "snoozing" clocks out of bed!

Happy Trails,
Sherry

The Best Job!

I have what I consider, the best job in the whole world! Being an Animal Communicator and dealing with the health and well being of animals and their caretakers, I just love my job. Actually to call it a "job" isn't really fair because it is my passion. I know it is what I am here to do. I love animals, all animals, because of who they are and what they teach us. When I am around animals I feel very much at home and at peace.

Addison is pictured here and she is my very young 12 year old Aussie! She said to me as I was thinking about what to write about today that she had the best job in the world. I asked her what that was, even though I already knew, basically she said to she was here to sample all the food that comes into the house. She is the food connoisseur for all of us here and that it is very important that I take her job seriously. Her job is to sample, at least once, everything I bring home, just to make sure it is edible. There is no 5 second rule here either on food. If it hits the floor it's Addison's. The other dogs two have long given up trying to go after anything that has been dropped. As Addison stared at me with those big sparkly eyes she also wanted me to know that I really needed to give up on that "diet food plan" as the food was not as tasty as usual. I had to laugh and agree with her in one sense, but I explained it was for a reason I brought those foods home with me.

I told her I really appreciated the fact that she was the "food police" and that I would try to make a couple better food selections this week just for her. With that conversation ended she curled up in front of the fan to go back to dreaming about the next meal. I swear she thinks about food every minute of everyday, that is how passionate she is about her job. And as you can tell from the photo she is far from a starving dog, she does take her job seriously.

But she did get me thinking about how much do we as humans really love and focus on our passions in life. For her I can tell you it is 24/7. I can picture her as Julia Childs in fur conjuring up and cooking all these wonderful and delicious meals. She would don the apron and chef's hat and just go to town with new creations everyday. She eats, lives and breathes her passion every minute of everyday.

I think I do too for the most part. There are those times when I would love to have the focus she does with her purpose in life. There are times when the human side, the side that begins to think too much, that I can get distracted from just being in the moment and being in the passion of my life. That is where my girls help to bring me back to the reality of why I am here. There is much comfort in the fact that I know and feel that passion and let it fill my heart.

What is your pet's passion? How close is it to yours? For me Addison and I share a great love of food. I understand her passion that is why I need to go fix something for the two of us to enjoy as our day begins to come to a close. Don't worry the other two are not left out, it is just that they don't get it about food like Addie and I do.

Happy Trails,
Sherry

Healing Energy

I would like to talk a little bit about he benefits of energy work for our animal companions. Most people are familiar with the term Reiki. Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy. These principles apply to both us and our animal companions. Healing Touch for Animals is a wonderful modality I have added to my practice. After almost two years of classes I became a certified Healing Touch for Animals Practitioner. In working with traditional veterinary care and HTA techniques, many animals have recovered quicker from ailments, injuries, behavioral issues and have improved their overall well being. All energy work is based in science. There is an actual physiological response to the energy work.

All animals and people benefit from having energetic work done on them. I know the last foster I had in my care benefited greatly from HTA. She was a puppy mill dog from Lancaster, PA. She spent 7 years in a crate pumping puppies out. She was so traumatized she shook at the drop of a piece of paper. She didn’t know what the inside of a house was so she always hid in the nearest corner of a room. It was through providing her with a loving home, a good diet, massage and energy work that she became about 80% dog in 9 months. She even became adoptable! She was appreciative after every session.

When looking for alternative ways to deal with behavior issues or health issues with our animal companions consider energy work as a compliment to current treatments. I often suggest to my clients that they themselves experience an energy session just to see what it is their animal will feel. Generally once they go the first time they go back again. We are surrounded by energy every day, some good and some not so good. We then bring that energy home to our pets and because they are energy sponges they soak up it up from us.

I can say that 80% of the animals I see also share the same disease or neurosis as their owner. Be aware of the energy you bring into your home. I know if I come home in a chaotic state it is not too long after that that my dogs begin to react to that energy and get all hyped out. On the other hand when I meditate I put on soothing music and relax. Within 5 minutes of the music starting my dogs are conked out at my feet, calm and relaxed.

Do you have a pet that would benefit from energy work? I always encourage people to look for alternative ways to help keep their pets healthy and well. If you have any questions about HTA and what it may be able to do for your pet please email me at sherry@spiritpaws.com.

Bubba the Fish

I must tell you about this most amazing fish named Bubba. I originally got Bubba when he was just a baby Oscar fish. I had him in a tank with a couple other fish that he apparently got along with. Oscars for the most part are hunter fish and pretty much kill what ever lives in the tank with them. There are a few fish they can coexist with and I guess I had the right ones. It was interesting to see Bubba grow and form his own personality. Yes fish have personality! Unfortunately most of the fish in the tank with him were a lot older and they ended up passing away one by one until Bubba had the tank all to himself. It was probably a good thing as Bubba now took up most of the tank.

The tank was situated in one of the other rooms but still in a place where he could see me while watching TV in another room. When I say he had personality I mean it! I can tell you he was like "Messy Marvin" in the fact that he didn't like anything neat and orderly in his tank. Every once and a while I had to clean the tank out and get it all sparkling clean, I would set his little plants back upright and the little lighthouse fixture I had in his tank. It never failed about an hour after I had all that done and had gently placed him back in the water he would immediately go to town knocking things over and pulling the plants from their upright rooted position. He wasn't happy unless things were wildly strewn all over the tank.

Thre were nights when he wanted my attention and made that fact known by thrashing about the tank and knocking the floating thermometer up against the side of the glass. The knocking would be so loud and constant he wouldn't stop until I got up and went over to the tank. Many nights we just sat there and communicated. He was an interesting character. He really liked the ladies and when ever one of my girlfriends would come into the house he would splash around to get their attention. He was such a ladies man!

There came a point where he was just getting too big for his tank and so I had to find another home for him. A woman I knew had a huge 8 foot tank and agreed to take him. I explained to him he was going to a place where he could see lots of ladies all the time! He was very excited about that and was looking forward to the new digs! A few months after he was moved and I went to see him. He was in great spirits and was very happy to see me. I also noted that he kept his new tank just as messy as the old one. I haven't been back to check up on him in a while. Something tells me wherever he is he is with the ladies.

So I am here to tell you fish do have personality! A very good friend of mine has a beautiful Koi pond. Each and every one of the fish have names and very different personalities. They each respond to her differently. She is learning to listen to them and understand the messages they bring to her. It is awesome to watch.

I have a new tank now and two new fish, Amos and Andy. They are Black Moors and they each have different personalities. Amos is much more of the go getter and Andy is more refined and laid back. So you see everything can communicate with us if we take the time to be quiet and listen. Heck, have you ever seen a cat in front of a fish bowl? You may think the cat wants to eat the fish, and I am sure some do, but there is a communication that happens between them. I am sure there is a communication between the animals in your home. As I am told quite often in my home, Sssshhhhhhhh, listen, do you hear it? "It's cookie time"! Gotta go!

Happy Trails,
Sherry

Teaching the Teacher

All of us are teachers in one way or another. Whether we formally went to school to teach others or have learned some of life’s lessons and have passed them on to others. Every day we teach someone new something they may not have thought about or even imagined. Every day I try to share with others about animals and who they are. It can be talking about the importance of good nutrition, the different holistic healing modalities available to animals or helping someone realize their animal companion actually has language all their own that they can learn.

It is in looking at them a little differently that we can begin to see the teachings and lessons they bring to our lives. They are our teachers in fur. In learning more about them and making a deeper connection with them we are actually connecting to something much deeper in ourselves. It is that connection to the universe. Many times our animal companions are the only true connection we feel in life. We may feel disconnected from ourselves, our friends, our family or world as a whole. Our only connection may be to our animal companion. They keep our hearts open to love.

Animals teach us in unconditional ways and in unconventional ways. Whether it is the goofy dog who is here to be the clown and lighten us up or it is the cat that sits and encourages us to be meditative with them to find that inner peace. They are unique beings unto themselves. They can encourage us to live in the moment and connect with nature. There are also those animals that have come from horrific backgrounds that are still here and teaching us how to take baby steps and have patience with not only them but ourselves.

I have become a teacher because of the animals in my life just as many of you have. Let them continue to teach you as you will and do teaching others who they are. I can tell you the animals are grateful and if you don’t believe me ask your animal companion.

There are several variations on this but one of my favorite quotes is, “Lord, let me be the person my dog thinks I am”. As I sit here and look at my dogs now I thank them for making me a better person and for continuing to have patience with me as I sit in their classroom, the classroom of life.

The Spirit of Things

Say the word spirit and a whole host of images probably come to mind. For me the image is the spirit or energy of beings or things that come up. We often comment about the human spirit or the spirit of an animal. How many have you heard a persons comment on a specific animal as being very "spirited" or having a "strong spirit"? Take a look at the animals who you live with and consider what kind of spirit they have. Are they mischievous or serious? Are they stubborn or one that goes with the flow? Or are they just like you in many ways and if they are how do they reflect back who you are.

My three girls are each a reflection of me. Addison is my fat and happy homebody, she is most content when she has a full stomach and can just stay home and sleep. Maggie is my intuitive. She is sensitive to others feelings whether it is a person or another animal. She is beginning to get the dreaded "silver eyes" and yet as that is happening her other senses are heightening. Maggie loves to be out and about, connecting with people and enjoys the freedom of being outdoors. When I worked at my friend Stacy's pet store in Bel Air Maggie would accompany me to work and to say she was in her element is an understatement! She was allowed to help greet the people as they came and went from the store. Stacy's dog's Sunny and Drake are there at the store everyday and Maggie gave them a break from their duties when she was there. There were no "leash" rules when we were there. She was free to go in and out as she pleased. Now my third dog is fairly new to me so I am still seeing where she fits in. My one friend just calls her the "princess" although I don't totally agree with that there is some truth there. Takla is the youngest and most active of the three. She too prefers to stay home. Being a little dog she thinks she is really a big dog and will pretty much mouth off to anybody no matter what the size. Maybe that is the connection. She voices her opinion, even against the big guys.

Three different dogs and three different spirits within each body. I have seen all types of spirits within animals. There are the "broken" spirits also. They break my heart but their spirit still lives deep within. These are the puppy mill dogs. I have had several in my life, they came to me through foster care. They may have had their spirit broken but love, nurturing and a whole lot of patience helped them reclaim their spirit and live fairly normal lives.

Honor those individual spirits you have living with you. You each chose to be in each others lives. In understanding who they are we get a better insight as to who we are.

Happy Trails!
Sherry

The Power of Oneness

There is a certain power of oneness, whether it is with animals, nature or the universe. Our animals have the ability to show us that everyday if we pay attention. I am moved by those animals and their caretakers who move and understand each other as one. They are in perfect harmony and communication with each other. There is something fluid about the relationship. You see and hear stories of it all the time.

There was the You Tube video not too long ago that made its rounds on the Internet about Christian the Lion and his reunion with his two caretakers early on in his life. His caretakers Ace and John adopted him from Harrods department store when he was a baby back in 1969. He was living in a cramped cage in the store. After a year he grew too big and was released into the wild. A year later Ace and John went back to see if they could find Christian again. They were told he had his own pride now and that he was completely wild and he probably would not remember them. They went anyway. You see the in the video the instant recognition from Christian to his two original caretakers. That is oneness with animals. Go to You Tube and look for the video that reads "Christian The Lion Full Reunion Ending HQ". It is one of the better ones on there. Also the music is Whitney Houston's "I will Always Love You". The clear
communication between the three of them is clear, the love is still there.

Another example of a relationship of oneness is with Stacy Westfall and her horse Baby Doll. I have the link posted on this blog but the first one doesn't have audio so go to the next one down or even the third on to watch it. Stacy rides bareback and her and her horse work in perfect unison to create a beautiful dance together, they dance together as one. Of course it doesn't hurt that the music they are playing is "Live Like You Were Dying"...very moving! Anyone who knows anything about horses or who experienced them know the connection between horse and rider are important but this relationship goes far deeper than that with the two of them.

Even if your story doesn't make it to You Tube there is a oneness you and your animal companion have created. People often honor that relationship by doing something special or creating something from their lives they never would have thought about creating. Look at all the folks that have started store's, rescues, shelter's, lines of clothing or food lines named after their pet. They help keep us connected to life and the world around us.

In keeping with that line of thought I am heading out in the rain with my dogs to connect with Mother Nature!

Happy Trails,
Sherry

Clocks

I have three alarm clocks at my home. They each go off at three different times and the same time every day. The first is Maggie, my Australian Shepherd, she jumps off the bed about 5:30 every morning, then comes Addison, my other Australian shepherd who begins to move about the bed around 6:30 am. If that doesn't get me up they send in the big guns, Takla, my Lhasa Apso. And so it was this morning except that I must of hit the snooze button Takla because around 7:30 this morning I can feel these eyes just staring at me. I opened one of my sleep filled eys and there is Takla about 3" from my face staring at me. The message was loud and clear, "You're late and I have to go to the bathroom"! Needless to say once my feet hit the floor they are all looking for the door.

I find it interesting that animals like ourselves have internal clocks they go by. They get into our routines and rhythms and count on that consistency from us. If that routine should be disrupted they will let you know about it. Do you have a furry clock at your house? Maybe it is not an early morning clock, maybe it is a middle of the night clock? What is your internal clock telling you?

Wild animals also have their internal clocks they go by. The Emperor Penguins amaze me! If you haven't seen the movie "March of the Penguins" I would recommend it They spend their entire lives on the Antartic ice. After they mate the female goes off in search of food that is 50 to a hundred miles away. It is the males that stay behind to keep the egg warm and out of the cold until it is ready to hatch. The males huddle together in the fridgid sub-artic tempetures. They are in continous motion as they take turns being on the outside, out of the cold. They circle in perfect unison as if it were a choreographed dance. They spend about 65 days doing this continual movement until the females, now flush with food, return to the breeding grounds. All this time the males have gone without food.

So where is their internal clock? How do the females know it is time to go back to the males? The females go back as one big group. The communication between them is silent and yet they all hear it at the same time. They move as a collective. They relieve the males who pass the new born chick off to the female who now has food for the baby stored up. It is now the males time to leave in search of food. And so the cycle continues as the chicks grow up and start the process all over again.

What is your internal clock telling you? Do you know when it is time to get up and begin your day or your life even? Many times it is our animal companions who nudge our internal clocks to get moving again. Whether it is to get oputside for a walk and get us back into nature or just sitting like the cat in meditation, our pets reflect messages back to us all the time.

So every morning I greet my furry clocks and look forward to the messages I receive from them. They welcome each new day with the excitment of new things. Isn't that a great way for us to also begin our day? Stepping into the rhythms of our animals and our planet each day reminds us of the beauty of life that surrounds all of us.

One of my clocks is letting me know it is time for a "cookie" break so I must go!

Happy Trails,
Sherry

Who Knew?

It's funny how life takes you on all these twists and turns and it isn't until you arrive somewhere that you take time to sit back and look at the journey. Almost 6 years ago I never would have dreamed I would be doing what I am doing today, talking and working with animals and thier caretakers. As I sit here today I am reflecting back on all those events that happened to put me where I am today. Even the smallest seemingly minor event can change a life.

I know that is how it happened for me as I was inducted into the world of animals and their language. Yes they do have a language, it is a language we have long forgotten, telepathy. It is how I get messages from them as well as other forms of communication. I laugh now to myself as I look back at obtaining my bachelors degree in Communication. I didn't count on this kind of communication, I was thinking more television or radio! The animals had other plans for me however and actually it has been for the best. What an amazing journey it has been with them.

Animals do have a voice in this world and they are being heard. Now this may not be the traditional way of being heard but they have taken on a new role in our lives. It is more that we are now waking up to who they are as teachers, guides and spiritual companions. They are all different, they are the jokesters, the protectors, the caretakers and the ones I like to describe as "ascended masters in fur". Much is to be learned from who they are and why they chose to be with us. If we as mankind are not here animals would be just fine, on the other hand though if animals are not here we are not here.

My hope is to share with you some of the messages and experiences I receive from animals. I hope to enlighten and have you look a little bit differently at the world we share with them. In the words of Roy Rogers horse Trigger, "Happy Trails to You". (and you thought Roy came up with the song title).

Happy Trails,
Sherry